Character Motivations and Emotions

How do you feel a character’s emotions and motivations? How do you write them well?

Personal

Recently I had someone in my monthly writing group point out a bad bit of plotting and a major character motivation issue, all in chapter 4, the chapter where I feel my book really gets its legs.

I’d like to say that I handled it well both in the meeting and after, but…I don’t believe in lying. I handled it well in-person, but lying in bed with my notebook by my side, I find I’m not taking it very well. I’ve been writing this story for so long. I’m not sure how to make the motivation clearer, without changing more, how to get the character to where I want at the end of chapter 4, and revising this novel is exhausting.

Mission Statement

"I, C.S. Kinnaird, blog about writing in order to help writers find a balance between writing with their hearts and writing with their minds. I do this because I want to know how creativity works psychologically and how we can put our heart’s struggles and triumphs into every piece we write."